Halloween mania

I will be posting a series of tutorial this month as I make my Halloween costume.

Tada, here's the finished look!
The "Lady in White"

I was inspired by some British gothic novels, primarily "Jane Eyre" and "The Lady in White". I decided I would be an "escaped, murderous asylum patient." I haven't decided if I'll be alive or dead - I'm favoring the ghostly apparition option.

I was quite please with the cost, I managed to thrift the supplies for under $15. I found a cream bedsheet with a large lace ruffle that I transformed into a nightgown and a cap. I used a plain Japanese letter opener to make a bloody murder weapon and some dollar store Halloween decorations served as the chains.

I researched Regency and American Pre-Civil War era clothing for this costume. Here's a few tips on the correct terminology of clothing from those eras - finding patterns and examples are difficult if you don't know the right search terms. From what I can tell, the people posting about historical clothing tend to be costumers, historians or historical re-en-actors and they use the original terms.

A nightgown, slip or nightdress was typically called a "chemise" or "shift". A bonnet was for daytime use, while a night cap was usually called a "night cap". One blogger said sleeping caps from that era were almost indistinguishable from bonnets, which is why I believe you can use the sleeping cap pattern for a quick and easy bonnet.

You can view my halloween costume Pinterest board here, complete with links to blog postings, historical examples and inspirations.

This month I will be posting tutorials for:
- original mid-1800's night cap / bonnet
- hospital restraints / manacles
- bloody knife.

Happy crafting!